38Then
certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master,
we would see a sign from thee. (Matt 12:38)

People
were
always looking for a sign from Jesus. But, of course, that is not what
they really wanted; for when Jesus gave them the very sign He had
promised them (His resurrection), they denied it and covered it up. [1] [2]

Elijah
gave
plenty of signs in his day. And Moses showed his signs and wonders. God
led them (the Hebrews) by pillars of fire and cloud - but nothing did
any good because they still constantly rebelled against God and the
miracle workers. [3] [4]
[5] [6]

Mankind
hasn't
changed at all, we still seek a sign that we can reject. One grand
example of this is God's greatest miracle, and that is His creation -
which modern man with all his "intellect" denies and claims it was all
an "accident." [7] [8]

The
question
has been asked, and I'm quite sure you have heard it: "If you were put
on trial as a Christian; would there be enough evidence to convict you?"

Most
Christians I am certain would have to say "No." And, in fact, many
Christians probably wouldn't be recognized as one by their fellow
workers, students or friends.

But
let's say
that you were
placed on trial; what signs would a Judge look for?

Signs of
Christianity

1.
TRAFFIC.13Enter
ye in at the strait gate: for wide is
the gate, and broad is
the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat: 14Because
strait is
the gate, and narrow is
the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. ( Mat
7:)

Look
around
you. Does it appear that everyone is going your way? Do most people
agree with you when it comes to your beliefs? Are you ridiculed or
condemned by the world? [9]

Jesus
walked
alone and was cast out by his "church" friends and even his family (who
tried to get Him to "conform" to society, which also meant the church
of that day). Though thousands followed Him when He went where they
wanted Him to go, and when He gave them what they wanted to have, and
said what they wanted to hear; they all turned away when His path
veered from theirs. [10]
[11] [12]
[13]

Although
millions were willing to leave Egypt (even many Egyptians) with Moses,
only two made it through their Wilderness experience into the Promised
Land. And they, too, had to suffer the penalty of rebellion along with
the rebellious ones (and then they had to battle
their way in to the Promised Land). [14] [15]
[16] [17] [18]

For
over a
thousand years the church was in darkness with only Catholicism to
follow (which the people often blended with their own idolatrous
worship) because to do otherwise meant to be killed as a heretic. [19]

When
anyone
raised their head in order to try and correct the errors of the church,
their heads were cut off.

In
these
latter days, which we are clearly told that the church will be corrupt [20] it is
reported that 86% or so of Americans claim to be Christians. So
Christianity in itself does not appear to be the "Narrow Road" that
Jesus spoke of. But of course, they don't all go to your
church, so perhaps that
is the detail that will narrow the field. If that is your assumption,
consider this. All Denominations are an offshoot of the original
Protestant rebellion. And the original rebellious Denomination is an
offshoot of Catholicism. Catholicism itself has broken down into many
"isms." and all those "isms" are an offshoot of the original Catholic
church that had become so corrupt that it had to be changed.

Are
you really
going to bet your Eternal soul on a banner that has been tacked over
the door of the church you have chosen? Especially considering that
churches are dividing faster and faster until it must appear in God's
perspective like Atomic Fission?

2.
HEART9The
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can
know it? 10I
the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man
according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (Jer
17:)

The
Bible
tells us that we are born with a wicked and foolish heart that thinks
only of itself. We are also told that we are rebellious to God and His
will for us. And to stop all arguments, we are also told that anyone
who denies they are this way is a "Liar." [21] [22] [23]

Signs
which
indicate that we are right with our heart include our attitudes toward
our fellow man; and if we are less concerned with our own desires and
needs than those of others. Another clue is if we lack the need to
satisfy our ego (Pride).
[24] [25] [26]

Then
to
complicate matters even more, we are told that it doesn't matter what
we do, how perfect we try to be, that it will avail us nothing if our
gesture is performed with anything less than Love. Here we question:
"How can I know that what I am doing for others is out of Love, or for
some other reason? Isn't just doing
it proof that I love?" [27]

(An
example
that comes to mind is a mother who gives her kid a 2,000 dollar
computer to get the kid off her back; and a Grandmother who gives her a
little rag doll, a replica of the one she always wanted as a child, and
that she spent 6 months making by hand just for that child.)

3.
SACRIFICE6For
I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than
burnt offerings (Hos 6:6)

1I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is
your reasonable service. 2And
be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing
of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God. (Rom 12:)

Did
you
sacrifice your morning coffee and toast this morning? Did you do a good
deed for someone today? Did you read a couple chapters of the Bible
every day and go to church on Sunday? Then I suppose you're fulfilling
God's desire for each of us to "Sacrifice." [28]

Jesus
sacrificed His life, as did the Apostles, and the early Christians, and
the Martyrs, and the Christians in Asia and Africa and throughout the
world today. When Jesus selects the ones to be with Him in Eternity, if
it comes down to a matter of sacrifice, how do you think your cup of
coffee will hold up? [29]
[30]
[31] [32]

Of
course
we're told at church that sacrifice means to say "Ok, I'm yours," but
from that point on just hope Jesus can keep up with us as we go about
our daily life, and to be there when we get ourselves into trouble.

How
do you
feel about that? How do you think Jesus
equates your sacrifice for Him held up against His sacrifice for you?

Of
course,
there's more to it than just the quality or the quantity of sacrifice.
If that were not so, than the Buddhist monks who set themself on fire,
and those men who flew our own airplanes into the Two Towers will have
it all over us on Judgement Day. So then, if it's not our works, nor
our sacrifices, that make a difference - what does? [33]

4.
HOLYSPIRIT 19What?
know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in
you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For
ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in
your spirit, which are God's. (1Cor 6:20)

My
guess is
that the road will become very narrow and sparsely traveled at this
point where all have veered off except those who have the Holy Spirit.
Now I know that we are told the moment we say the "Sinners Prayer" we
are instantly made Christians, Saved forever no matter what we do, even
if we deny Jesus and become the worst drunk and criminal in the world.
And I know we are also taught that everyone who has gone to the alter
has received the Holy Spirit and can never become "lost" or unsaved. [34]

Assuming
we
have been told correctly, it brings several questions to my mind. If
God is willing to take those rotten people who come to Him when they
are in deepest despair, then turn their back on Him when they've got
their feet on the ground: why then did He bother to come down here and
die such a horrible death? Why did He kick Adam and Eve out of the
garden for just eating an apple? Why did He destroy the Israelites in
the wilderness, and kill those who just picked up sticks on the
Sabbath, or those who just sassed their parents? Why didn't He just
flood the world with His Holy Spirit and take everyone in, if He
doesn't mind living with those who we down here can't stand to be
around and want to keep locked up? [35] [36] [37]
[38] [39]

And
another
thing, what about all the do's
and don'ts
He has filled His Word with, much of which He spoke Himself, or had His
Apostles speak for Him?
[40]

And
why do
those who do the most for Him, like the Apostles and the Martyrs,
suffer the worst deaths and live the hardest lives? [41]

Now,
me, if I
was a sinner who wanted to reap the benefits of being a Christian, but
keep my old rotten lifestyle, and saw how the church works; I would
just go to church once, say the sinner's prayer, get my ticket to
Heaven punched, and go back to the bar I staggered out of, or the porno
shop next door to it. [42]

But,
who am I
to challenge the Doctrines of great Theologians throughout the
centuries. Mine is just one viewpoint, and a very unpopular one at
that. [43]

But,
come to
think of it; so was Jesus'.[44]

Now
being
different is not a sign of correctness. Far from it. If that were the
case, than all the cults would be "right on," and there would be more
Moonies in Heaven than Baptists.

All
that
aside, from my own experience; I find there is nothing in this world
that I want any more. There are some things, of course, that
occasionally have a draw for me. But the inner peace and the joy I feel
from staying just as close to Jesus' ankles as I can get, I wouldn't sacrifice
for any
thing in this world!

As
for the
Holy Ghost, I know He has been leading me, and clearing away the
obstacles and rubbish I have piled in front of myself in His effort to
get me to "turn around" (repent) from my Ego and "things." And though
it took me thirty years from my "conversion," and a life filled with
anything that I wanted - I finally cried out "Where is the Peace you
promised!" [45]
[46] [47]

At
that
moment my life changed, and I could tell that I had the Holy Spirit in
me. At that
moment the Bible made sense to me. At that
moment I wanted to do nothing but serve the Lord. And at that moment I
understood what "Peace in the Valley of the Shadow of Death" meant, and
I finally had full certainty that I was accepted as well as acceptable
for Heaven and the Presence of the Lord. [48] [49]
[50] [51]

12
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after
the flesh. 13For if ye live after the
flesh, ye shall die: but if
ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.14or
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.15For ye have not received
the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The
Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And
if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also
glorified together. (Rom 8:1-17 see also Gal 4:4-6)